The NFL’s Flawed DEI Program Beats What Most Companies Are Doing

Since the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling to end affirmative action in college admissions, corporate America has come under pressure from emboldened conservative activists to end diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The reelection of President Donald Trump, who signed an executive order eliminating federal DEI programs, has only hastened their demise: On Jan. 24, for example, Target Corp. became the latest major company to announce a rollback.

The NFL’s main DEI initiative is the Rooney Rule, adopted in 2003 to help increase the number of minority coaches and executives in the league. (It’s named after Dan Rooney ...